Tourism has always been a pillar industry in Greece. To facilitate shopping and consumption for an increasing number of Chinese tourists, Greece has introduced various bank card payment services. Now, the Worldway editor will introduce how you should use your cards while traveling and living in Greece!
Merchant Card Payments
UnionPay cards can be used at any merchant in Greece that displays the UnionPay logo, including shops frequently visited by tourists in the shopping districts of the capital, Athens, as well as designated stores on islands such as Santorini and Mykonos. Some merchants may not display the "UnionPay" logo; cardholders can proactively show their UnionPay card and ask the cashier if it can be used. Approximately 60% of merchants and 80% of ATMs in Greece accept UnionPay cards. You may also use other payment cards depending on the merchant's policies.
Withdrawals
UnionPay cards can be used for cash withdrawals at ATMs of Piraeus Bank, Alpha Bank, Eurobank, and Postbank in Greece. Taking UnionPay card withdrawals as an example, look for the UnionPay or Citi logo displayed on the ATM or its screen; some ATMs offer a Chinese interface. When using a UnionPay card for ATM withdrawals abroad, some issuing banks may impose limits on the amount per transaction; please consult your respective issuing bank for details. Some ATMs have a single-transaction withdrawal limit; in such cases, you can make multiple withdrawals as long as the cumulative amount does not exceed the limit.
Service Fees
American Express 2.8-3.5%
UnionPay 1.6%
VISA only 0.7%
MASTERCARD only 0.7%
If a card has two logos, it will default to the channel with the highest service fee. For example, if a card has both UnionPay and VISA logos, and the POS machine in Greece does not allow channel selection, it will default to the UnionPay channel. The local currency transaction amount will be directly converted into RMB at the market exchange rate for deduction. Using a debit card for ATM withdrawals generally incurs lower fees.
Worldway reminds you not to set your bank card PIN too simply, and do not disclose your UnionPay card PIN to anyone, including bank staff. When entering your PIN in public places, pay attention to the privacy of your operation. When making card payments, please ensure your bank card does not leave your sight. If your card is lost, please call the issuing bank immediately to report the loss to ensure the safety of the funds in your account. We wish you a happy shopping experience!
Greece is a paradise for tourism and shopping, as well as one of the excellent investment destinations. The new opportunities for Greek property investment immigration lie in high-quality life, investment appreciation, and, more importantly, a transformation of status! After obtaining Greek permanent residency, investors' children can enjoy free education in Greek public schools. Furthermore, Greece has a comprehensive prevention and emergency system, and its healthcare system is very well-developed, allowing investment immigrants to enjoy various benefits. Now is a time when the Greek immigration policy is relatively relaxed, and the processing cycle is shorter and faster. The island properties launched by Worldway offer a 5-year leaseback with a 7% annual return, meaning investors can recover 35% of their profit in 5 years. This is equivalent to investing only 160,000 Euros to immigrate to Greece with three generations of your family, creating your dream of a second home overseas! For details, please call: 400-138-2929.
